The Solaire SOL-EV17A Everywhere Grill is a portable infrared grill that works best if you’re looking for something that cooks quickly and only needs to cater to a few people. It has the smallest main grilling space in our round up of the best infrared grills and has some design flaws that just make it downright awkward. It’s also not best suited to low and slow cooking, so forego ribs and stick to good cuts of red meat if you choose this grill.
For a portable grill it has good output power, reaching 14,000 BTU, outperforming the Char-Broil Grill2Go. It’s also built for durability too, thanks to its stainless steel construction.
Solaire SOL-EV17A Everywhere Grill: Pricing and value
The Solaire Everywhere Grill will set you back about $330. Not overly expensive for a portable grill, but that does make it about $130 more expensive than Char-Broil’s comparable model, the Grill2Go X200. Both grills are built for durability and portability, but the Solaire Everywhere Grill performs best in quite a narrow set of requirements. It’s also missing some useful features that the cheaper Grill2Go X200 has, such as a temperature gauge.
The power output at this price point is, however, impressive. Smaller portable grills tend to take longer to heat up than their regular sized counterparts, while the Solaire Everywhere Grill can reach a good cooking heat surprisingly quickly.
Solaire SOL-EV17A Everywhere Grill: Features
The big plus point of the Solaire SOL-EV17A Everywhere Grill is its heating power. It can reach 14,000 BTU relatively quickly, while ceramic burners are great at aiding this grill to reach good cooking heat quickly. Infrared grills are designed to eliminate hotspots for more even cooking and the Solaire Everywhere Grill is no exception.
The quick, high heat capabilities mean it’s particularly well-suited to searing and quick-cooking cuts, but without a temperature gauge, it can be much harder to judge whether it is the right temperature for slow cooking foods. Even attempting to cook foods like chicken on medium heat is tricky. It chars quickly so it can be difficult to get a good result.
Grilling in more exposed sites can also be tricky. While the flame is unlikely to go out under windy conditions like a traditional gas grill, the Solaire Everywhere Grill is designed to be used with the lid open, and blustery conditions tend to draw the heat away from food on the grill.
This grill is built for portability and durability. It’s constructed from heavy-duty 304 stainless steel and is easy to pack up and move around. Infrared grilling is also more fuel-efficient than blue-flame grilling, so the propane canisters will need replacing less often, but if you do want to attach a larger canister you will need to purchase an adaptor. The location of the gas canister connection is also a bit of a pain as it needs to hang off a table, so you will need to place your grill carefully.
Solaire SOL-EV17A Everywhere Grill: User reviews
This grill is really popular with users, scoring an average of 4.3 out of five with users at Walmart. It was particularly popular with users who had struggled to get a good sear with other gas grills. They commended the Solaire Everywhere Grill’s solid construction and durability.
One of the most common drawbacks users found was that the grill is difficult to clean as grease tends to go everywhere. Many were also unhappy that they couldn’t close the lid with food on the grill as this made cooking some types of food almost impossible.
This grill wasn’t particularly popular with users that recognized that it has a fairly narrow cooking range and just isn’t good with slower cooking foods. But anyone who had struggled for good results with seared steaks on a grill absolutely loved this grill.
Should you buy the Solaire SOL-EV17A Everywhere Grill?
The Solaire Everywhere Grill is a bit of a niche grill. It’s a portable grill that specializes in cooking at high temperatures. Outside of that, it struggles. To some, spending $320 on a good steak grill is just too much, while for others it will be worth every cent.
A good alternative for portable grilling is the Char-Broil Grill2Go, which is just as durable, has a temperature gauge, and comes in over $100 cheaper.
